Arsenal finished their Asia pre-season tour with a draw against Kitchee Sports Club. This was the first time Arsenal had played in Hong Kong for seventeen years. Wenger opted to field a youthful side, although Diaby started again, as well as Walcott, Chamakh, Gibbs and the Ox. I was pleased to see Miyaichi given a run out as well.

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Coquelin started the game in the centre, and he covered in defence a few times quite well, something that an Arsenal midfield player has to do. He showed good movement and some skill when he came against players, and also went into tackles bravely.

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On the injury front we have Wilshere missing until October, Rosicky missing until early September, and rumours of Song going. RVP’s still here however. On the plus side the stories of Sahin from Madrid on loan persist.

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A lot have happened since this game though. The arrival of Spanish international Santi Cazorla, who has played in the Champions League, but never won a title. Previously voted Spanish player of the year, he is a great signing, possibly one of the best we have had in years. Carlos Vela, a player Wenger described to be one of the most naturally gifted and skilled players he had ever seen has gone aftr twenty nine league games and three goals later, having signed permanently for Real Sociedad, where he was on loan last season.

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Rumours have also arisen that Squillaci has been sold and it may be that we are about to sell Bendtner too. This shows promising signs for Arsenal, as we are cleaning up our wage bill, and Wenger said that the amount of signings that we make now (after Podolski and Giroud were purchased) depends of the amount of players we sell. More signings may be on their way, this excites me.

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What about Cologne though? Well they have already begun their domestic campaign, with their new life in Bundesliga 2 after being relegated last year. They played Eintracht Braunschweig, who came eighth last year in the German second division, so their one nil win against the relegated team may have been a surprise for a lot of people. Their last game was five days later, when they payed SV Sandhausen, drawing one all, scoring from a penalty.

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FC Cologne are a team that are battered and bruised, currently sitting fourteenth in the German second division. Their next game is over two weeks away, and it is surprising that they are playing a pre-season friendly game against Arsenal two days after a domestic game, but they want to play us and we start on the eighteenth, so Sunday it is. They did play five pre-season games, scoring fifteen times overall, not conceding once. I’m sure that their fans did have higher hopes than to be fourteenth in the league even after two games, they are hoping of an immediate bounce back into the first division.

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Cologne did lose their best player though, although Arsenal fans don’t feel too much sympathy, as he has become our star signing! His first game for us, as he didn’t attend our pre-season tour of Asia, is going to be against his former employees – and quite possibly was part of the transfer deal.

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We are also hopefully going to be viewing for the first time Giroud and Cazorla in a Arsenal shirt, and hopefully going to be the first glimpse of this new Arsenal team, and what formation Wenger is going to play to be able to accommodate all of these star players. It is something Arsenal fans haven’t been able to worry about for a long time; a great problem to have, too many quality players. We may also see if the Ox will be getting more first team football next season, and who is going to play on the right in defence, a centre back, Jenkinson or a defensive midfielder Wenger believes can play there.

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This is my third review for Untold, and I finally think I can carve out a rough guess of the team, as I think Wenger is going to deploy his first team, maybe just for one half. I think it is going to be –

Szc

Jenkinson Koscielny Vermaelen Santos

Arteta Song

Cazorla

Walcott Giroud/Rvp Podolski

Lets see what Wenger opts to do, I hope he does give the Arsenal fans what they want, (as well as seeing their new players in their new kit). He may also show us their fitness. By the pictures of the players relaxing in the pool in Germany, I would hope they are all fully fit.

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The mystery of the year may also be revealed to the Arsenal fans in this game, what number Podolski will play in, if he can wear the number he wants, and the Arsenal website is saying that Podolski’s first game will be played against his old club, so finally fans can flock to the stores and get a number of their newly bought Arsenal shirt with his name on the back.

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I think this game is going to be very important for the squad and Wenger, as it shows if his squads fitness during a competitive game, not just in training. This will also allow them to test formations out during the game, and see how the players are capable of playing together. Lets hope that the team do win, as any other result will almost defiantly lower morale in the camp. It will also help the new arrivals adjust with the difference in speed and tempo of the game.

It will be good to see how they perform together. Personally I don’t see the front four you have put up … too adventurous. Nor do I see Giroud and RVP working that well.
If I can play this game of guessing what AW wid do too, then I think RVP will come on in the second half – for Giroud – and Podolski dropping back to make a 4-3-3, with AOC coming on for Walcott.
But we will see. Big question will be, if Song goes, who will come in to replace him??
Nice post btw

Let rvp tell us his position so that we know where we are going instead of remaining in silent.If he is going let him not to waist our time and still our tacticks.But we love him, Wenger do some wonders for us this sean pls.we can do it without rvp but do not let song to go pls mr. wenger.

Apart trom a “shop window display” I can see no point in playing RVP. As sure as God made little apples the guy will be at Man Utd by the closure of the Window.
I think Walcott will stay. Song is 50/50 and it depends on whether Arsene is prepared to let him go to Barca. His contract is by no means near its end.
Whatever happens Arsenal will move on wth a great deal of anticipation.

according to Louis Van Gaal (Dutch national team manager) RVP will play 45 minutes today.
45 minutes and I am off to Cologne (Köln for the Germans and Keulen in my mother language) Hope I can find the way 😉

Signs are good, I believe RvP and Giroud will make a great pairing. People are doubting their ability to play together, Chamak/Bendtner would of proved to be great along side a player like RvP, but due to injury RvP and them never got the chance to play together. Chamak/Giroud & RvP, hopefully Chamak starts believing himself.

Rumblings RvP to ManU, I think is old Taggert trying to distract our player. If RvP does leave it wont be for ManU, if it is Manu, then they’ll need to part with a handsome figure.

I have heard that Wenger is going to play Rvp, as he in a similar situation to Nasri last year, will play if asked (He played against Liverpool last season then left). If Wenger wants to keep him for the season and let him leave (Which I would like) he will do so.

I don’t think the team I have guessed will all play, but hopefully all of the new signings will get a run, which we want. I just want to know what number Pod is!

R.v.p and Giroud wil play 2geda.nt 2day,bt mayb agst sundlnd if He (V.persie) stays.i dn’t see both of em being brilliant,bt dey wil try coz both dn’t gad enof pace.i would rather a frnt 3 which would include carzola,v.persie(i.e if he stays) or Giroud den podolski on d left leaving ox and walcott 2 fight for dia lives….ox z beta dn walcott no doubt so xpct a very serious cmpetn frm dis arsenal side nxt season…….i’m jst suggesting though coz i’m nt d manager of arsenal and wil neva be.gudluck 2 arsenal…up gunaz!

Greit article Miles. I’m really looking for the match as I missed other preseason matches (I was on holiday in place with bad internet connection).
I hope all Arsenal fans will show support to every Arsenal player that plays today (no booing or ignoring any player).

Also I’m looking forward to see how Köln fans treat Podolski I meant there are basicly two choices how they see him a)good player who moved to better league and club and fans respect that or b) he is greedy traitor who left the club to get more money. (I hope he is choice a, but not sure).

Oh and I do feel bit sorry for Köln losing their best player even it’s our gain. I’m happy tho that LP has been showing respect for his old club and fans when he had talked about them.

Media reports have made this THE story – MUTED WELCOME to rvp.
“Robin van Persie gets muted welcome from Arsenal fans”
Those two words – muted welcome – are used by the following quick sampling of mantra media: Guardian, TalkShite, Eat/Sleep Sports, Press Association and Sky Sports. To me, this means Fans Reject RVP so AFC should/must let him go.

The Press Association accounts also adds this note of alleged hostility: “Van Persie took the captain’s armband off Vermaelen for the game’s final quarter.”

Arsene Wenger, however, is quoted by Straight Talking Gooner which, in turn, quotes The Sun (after the game) as follows: ” “There’s no news on van Persie. Our fans want him to stay so you can understand they are excited. Anything I could say about van Persie would be a lie because he’s our player and that’s it. Robin scored 30 goals last season and you want to keep your best player. He was player of the year in England. We want to keep him. I cannot tell you more at the moment because I don’t know more. We have not bought the players to replace van Persie, but to strengthen our squad with the thinking van Persie will stay. That’s still my mind at the moment.”